LiveFree with T1D

You know that living with T1D is stressful, and you may be struggling with the emotional burden of diabetes. How do you know whether you can deal with this stress on your own or if you should see a mental health professional?

In this episode of The Diabetes Psychologist Podcast, I talk about what a diabetes psychologist does. Then I give you some guidelines you can use to help you decide if you need to see a diabetes psychologist. I also talk about other ways that people with T1D can access support to help them navigate the challenges that come with living with T1D every single day.

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My listeners reach out and ask all kinds of great questions about T1D & mental health. I want to make sure my answers can reach as many folks as possible!

I am going to answer some of your questions on the latest episode of The Diabetes Psychologist Podcast.

In this episode of my podcast, I answer YOUR questions about:

✔️ Diabetes and sleep

✔️ How to deal with perfectionistic tendencies with T1D 

✔️ How to find joy in your life with T1D

For more information on diabetes and sleep, check out THIS episode.

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It's time to look ahead and set some big goals for your life with T1D in the new year.

Why is it helpful to set diabetes goals? Where do you even start?

In this episode of The Diabetes Psychologist Podcast, I dive into how you can set T1D goals in the new year. You'll get to dream big, push yourself, and see what's possible for you in your life, even with T1D along for the ride.

We'll talk about the three types of diabetes-related goals: Blood sugar, mindset, and behavior. And you'll see how these types of goals all complement the other. From this starting point, you'll learn how to drill down to identify your actual goals with T1D.

Finally, I'll give you four questions to ask yourself as you set goals for the new year that will set you up for success.

Question #1: How much control do I have over the outcome?

Question #2: Who is the person I need to become to make this goal a reality?

Question #3: Am I willing to fail when I try to achieve this goal?

Question #4: What is ONE simple first step I can take today to get closer to my goal?

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2021 has taught me a whole new set of lesson and I want to share my biggest learnings with you!

In this episode of The Diabetes Psychologist Podcast, I tell you the FIVE most important things I learned in 2021 about T1D and mental health.

Learning #1: T1D doesn't live in a silo. Yes, diabetes makes life stressful, but T1D is not the only thing causing you stress in your life. You can't forget that your life affects T1D and T1D impacts your life. The stress works both ways.

Learning #2: Quality of life matters. There is more to life with with T1D than perfect blood sugars and sometimes, you have to make a choice. Sometimes you may choose your quality of life, and that's ok.

Learning #3: Take small steps. Managing your blood sugars and the stress of T1D can feel overwhelming, even paralyzing. However, there is almost always one thing you can do to get you closer to your goal. Do it, no matter how insignificant it feels.

Learning #4: Mental health support with T1D goes beyond therapy. In fact, most people with T1D do not need to see a mental health professional, but they need something. Be willing to think outside the box and use the resources you need.

Learning #5: Emotional health with T1D takes practice. It does not come naturally to most people. You may not always get it right, but you have to put in the effort and practice if you want to see improvement.

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The holiday season can feel like a landmine for people with T1D. You want to enjoy all your favorite foods, but you also want to keep your blood sugar in range. Doing both at the same time feels like an impossible task.

That's when things start to get stressful. You start feeling out of control, and you may even want to give up on even trying to manage T1D until after the new year.

Living with T1D during the holidays can be complicated. So I brought in an expert to help you navigate food and the holiday season with T1D.

My guest on this episode of the podcast is Amanda Ciprich. Amanda is a Registered Dietician who has been living with T1D for over ten years. She is an expert in helping people with T1D develop eating habits that make them feel great and are sustainable long-term. In this episode, Amanda talks about her journey with T1D and food and why she decided to become a dietician. She also shares her best tips for eating the foods you love while managing your blood sugars during the holidays.

You can find Amanda at www.t1dnutritionist.com on Instagram at @t1d.nutritionist.

Both golf and type 1 diabetes can be frustrating and unpredictable. The similarities don’t stop there. There is a lot you can learn from playing golf that can help you deal with the emotional burden of diabetes.

In this episode of The Diabetes Psychologist, I talk about what T1D and golf have in common. You'll hear how the four key lessons I've learned by playing golf can help you manage diabetes and reduce your stress.

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All of us with T1D experience burnout at times. Diabetes burnout is a normal part of living with T1D.

But sometimes, you may start to expect to feel burned out. And this expectation can be what actually makes you feel burned out. You get so used to diabetes burnout, and it becomes a habit.

In this episode of The Diabetes Psychologist Podcast, I talk about what causes diabetes burnout and how sometimes T1D burnout can get to be a habit. I give you some ways to tell the difference between real T1D burnout and the habit of burnout. I also give you some things you can use to break the habit of burnout, so you don't have to feel burned out any more than necessary.

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Everybody has an opinion about the best way for you to manage T1D.

Your doctor may think a pump is the only way to go. Your friends with T1D might swear by using multiple daily injections (MDI). Your insurance company wants to know what is going to be the most cost-effective option.

Which option is best for you? And most importantly, which diabetes management option is best for your mental health?

In this episode of The Diabetes Psychologist Podcast, I break down the mental health advantages and disadvantages of using an insulin pump and MDI. I talk about why making the best choice for you is so important and give you some things to consider as you work to make the decision that's right for you (at least for right now).

Follow The Diabetes Psychologist on Instagram @thediabetespsychologist and join The Diabetes Psychologist Community on Facebook.

Nothing makes people with T1D more anxious than the thought of having a low blood sugar during exercise.

Exercise with T1D can feel like a big black hole. You never know what to expect.

Anxiety about exercise makes some people stop before they even get started, and other people tread very lightly with physical activity when they would rather go all out.

What if you were able to exercise with confidence?

In this episode of The Diabetes Psychologist Podcast, you'll find out how! My guest on this episode is Christel Oerum. Christel is a personal trainer who has been living with T1D since 1997. Her passion is helping people exercise safely and confidently with T1D. Christel is the founder of Diabetes Strong, a platform where people living with diabetes can find all the information they need to live healthy and active lives. 

You can find Christel at www.diabetstrong.com, on Instagram at @diabetesstrong_ig, Facebook at @DiabetesStrong, and Youtube.

Follow The Diabetes Psychologist on Instagram @thediabetespsychologist and join The Diabetes Psychologist Community on Facebook.

People reach out and ask all kinds of questions about T1D & mental health. I want to make sure my answers can reach as many folks as possible!

So I decided to answer some of your questions on the latest episode of The Diabetes Psychologist Podcast.

In this episode of my podcast, I answer YOUR questions about:

✔️ The relationship between T1D and anger

✔️ Why T1D burnout doesn't go away

✔️ How to accept that T1D is forever

✔️ What to do if you don't want support

Follow The Diabetes Psychologist on Instagram @thediabetespsychologist and join The Diabetes Psychologist Community on Facebook.